Weekend battle in Tory Hole set

ELIZABETHTOWN — The air around the Tory Hole Park will be filled with the sounds of cannon fire and musket volleys as the fourth annual Battle of Elizabethtown Re-enactment takes place Saturday and Sunday.

Gates at the park will be open at 9:30 a.m. on both days — the event is free and open to the public.

The event is sponsored by the town of Elizabethtown, the Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the Bladen County Historical Society, Harmony Hall Backwoods Militia and Harmony Hall Plantation Village.

Bobby Lewis, field marshall for Harmony Hall, said the event will feature cannons this year.

“Cannons were involved in this battle based on an article found in the July 5, 1844, Fayetteville Observer. In the article, it said kids were playing in the ‘Tory Hole’ and discovered a half dozen or so ancient muskets and seven 4-pound cannon balls indicating the presence of both muskets and light artillery,” said Lewis.

He added that the sized cannon that would take a 4-pound round would be used to provide protection to the infantry.

The event will kick off on Saturday with a welcome at the amphitheater at 10 a.m. followed by a cannon volley. The names of the patriots who fought in the battle of Elizabethtown will be read and a bell will toll for each one, said Lewis.

There will be a children’s battle cannon fire, and doll making demonstrations and an early American Duel, said Lewis.

There will also be artillery and weapon demonstrations and a battle of Elizabethtown history lesson. The battle re-enactment complete with cannons will take place at about 4 p.m.

On Saturday at 8 p.m. there will be movie time on the stage.

On Sunday, there will be an 18th Century church service followed by weapons demonstrations, children’s activities, cannon fire and the battle re-enactment at 2 p.m.

Lewis said there will also be a tar, pitch and turpentine demonstration during the weekend event.

For more information about the event or if you would like to volunteer, contact Bobby Lewis at 910-874-4011.